-- Los Angeles, Hollywood sign, from Griffith Park --
-- San Fransisco, from Twin Peaks --
Los Angeles
-- Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen --
Thursday 03/17 -- Griffith Park, Los Angeles
Horse parking to top: 0:31:39
Down South Side, towards LA: 0:13:42
Back up to top: 0:17:54
Back to horse parking: 0:18:47
Time: 1:22:02
Mileage: 9.1 Miles
I've had the idea of writing letters in Hindi for my return,
and true to that promise have been keeping a Hindi journal
through the trip,
taking pictures in order to show them on my return. I see
the world with new eyes, often wondering which things could interest
them, marveling anew at these odd things that we all take
for granted, the airplane, seeing from over the clouds, our cities,
people's clothing...
Today seeing the city of Los Angeles from this high vantage
point I religiously take a series of pictures.
Sunday 03/21 -- Twin Peaks, San Francisco
From Page St. - Panhandle - Twin Peaks: 0:27:57
Back other side, lost, worked my way back: 1:04:08
Time: 1:32:05
Mileage: 10.2 Miles
Have arrived in the Bay Area on Friday, spend the weekend with the Family.
Going on a morning run and realizing that I'm close to Twin Peaks,
decide to
run there in order to, like in LA, get a good view of the city to show
on my return. The otherwise horrible weather is miraculously clear, just in
time for me to catch the famous view. As if on purpose, rain starts
pouring as soon as I'm done with my pictures,
displaying a splendid rainbow. In a semi-intoxicated
state, amusingly taking this as some divine omen, I run like a madman
towards the rainbow to capture its picture, shouting and laughing along
the way (luckily only few people are around).
Drenched on the way back, I get fairly lost, have to ask my way around.
Having even forgotten the exact street number, I stride back and forth
on Page Street before finding the house.
Tuesday 03/22/11 -- Griffith Park, Los Angeles
Griffith Park, to bottom of Hollywood sign: 0:45:48
Back: 0:33:69
Time: 1:19:27
Mileage: 8.8 Miles
Exploratory, through some rough trails,
eventually reach a road which
by happenstance leads me near the Hollywood Sign (although later discover
that access here is prohibited). Of course happy to get pictures of the sign
to bring back to India (another small victory for my journal).
See coyote and deer On the way back down. For some reason
keep imagining that I
could take little Nazia running with me, the young girl easily distancing my
older body while marveling at these new sights.
Thursday 03/24 -- Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles
Griffith Park, Horse Parking to the top: 0:32:29
Down other side towards observatory, trail along a chasm,
hollywood campground: 0:28:47
Up to the top of Hollywood Hill
(over and behind Hollywood sign): 0:39:10
Back down to parking lot: 0:32:43
Time: 2:14:50
Mileage: 15 Miles
A particularly long run, as I'm about to leave back to India.
Trying something new, going down on the other side of the hill,
I once again get experiment with some really rough trail
which borders an impressive
chasm, to the point where I fear that the recent rains could cause some
landslide that would take me down. I do make it to the bottom though,
and from there the long hike up, this time all the way to
the top of the Hollywood Hill (which is reached via a battered paved road).
I cross horse riders on the way,
and see the Hollywood sign from over and
behind, but unfortunately, my camera has gone Kherab along the way,
leaving these things be with no witness.
Great run though...
That evening begins the long trek back home. Both eager and fearful
to return to India, as if embarking on the final leg of my journey,
I feel as if
gravely intoxicated by Wagner's music,
having had another intense bout of the Ring
des Nibelungen. I am caught in the intricate web of the Wagnerian
motives, ever present in my mind, whose tangled obsessive complexity
will accompany me in the difficult days ahead.
-- Selbstbildnis, on the plane to Bangalore --
-- On the way to the Dinur school --
Top, left to right: Nagalu, Lata, Shazia -
Bottom: Nazia, Nagalu, Lata and Shazia --
To School, Dinur -- 03/31/11
ECC / Elim route - Dinur - Kadugodi: 0:41:36
Dinur to ITPL: 0:14:58
Time: 0:56:34
Mileage: 6.3 Miles
Wght: 155
(Link to complete photos on Flickr)
So this morning, happy that I'm slowly beating the jet lag, I set off
around seven to reach by eight as promised. The weather is shockingly
warm and heavy compared to what it was before my trip to the US.
In Kadugodi is Kupamma, sitting in front of her tent, getting her
children ready, she invites me to sit with her. I have chosen to conceal
the Taviz inside my shirt to not invite questions,
but the kids quickly
noticing the necklace sure enough start pulling on it. Suresh waves at
me from a distance, but no sign of Sampa, who apparently has gone to work
(most likely picking plastic).
I'm extremely thirsty from the heat and quickly ask water from
Kupamma, Tanni Kode.... She sends Nagalu over to the tent who
brings back a large tin jug.
Kuttima's baby was born 12 days ago. Kupamma proudly shows me the baby,
whose name will be fixed in three months (and whose picture I won't be
allowed to take before then). It was born at Bowring hospital in Shivajinagar
and looks healthy. His father Manni is also here, having gotten his hair
cut, looking much more collected.
The children and I resume our habitual games, barbichette, hand games...
We look at the Tamil newspaper, the picture of a huge manta ray that
was caught in the ocean, and of course India's cricket victory last night,
the immense crowds.
Ruksanna is also by her tent, getting her children ready for school.
We wave at each other, purposefully keeping some distance. She eventually
comes by, carrying little
Sophia at her side, and I use the baby as a pretext to talk to her.
She eventually sits not far from us, combing Nazia's
hair, getting her ready for school.
In comes Ramaka who's still upset that I didn't buy her ration some
time back before leaving. She uses Ruksanna as a translator. I address
her directly in Hindi though, even though she hardly understands,
pointing out that she wasn't even there the day we had agreed to go together
to the shop. I ask for forgiveness though, but insist that I will no longer
buy individual rations like in the past, preferring now to buy for the
whole community on occasion.
Leaving Kupamma for a minute,
I tentatively sit by Ruksanna, now just carrying little Sophia on her lap.
"Ajeeb lag raha hai", I point out before moving
back towards Kupamma, whose hoarse delivery I'm understanding less and
less. Ruksanna sends one of the girl to get tea, which she brings back
in a tin cup. Ruksanna pours into a plastic cup for me, then offers the
remainder to Kupamma.
-- On the way to school, Shazia, Nagalu, Lata and Nazia.
The children are about ready to go to school so I offer to walk them over,
as we love to do. But because Nazia is being difficult, looking rather
sulky, Ruksanna tells me not to wait. Shazia follows me though, and
we're soon joined by Nagalu and Lata. I ask Shazia if she'd rather wait
for her sister, but she prefers to walk with me. Ruksanna, still carrying
Sophia, has come out by the Tea stall to wave us goodbye. The three
children and I set forth, drawing a lot of amused friendly stares as
we start running up the street, then turn right onto the dirt trail
that leads to Dinur. By now, Nazia has joined us as well. We stop by
a temple to take pictures. I let Nazia handle the camera which cheers
her up. We take spurts of running, I carrying Shazia's bagpack.
Approaching Dinur, the children stop by a roadside small shop.
THey buy chips and
biscuits with the few rupees that their mothers have given them. Nagalu
buys one for me as well, hands it over to me, insisting, "Please!"
(using the English word). I accept her amazing gift, tears coming
to her eyes.
-- At the shop in Dinur, Lata and Nagalu --
-- Children of the Gopalan settlements, Nellurahalli
After the Cricket final -- 04/03/11
-- Beethoven, Late String Quartets --
Saturday:
Harohalli via the classic route through Imadhalli,
Ajgondanhalli, Timandhalli
Time: 0:45:04
Mileage: 5 Miles
Sunday:
E. Route - Nellurahalli - Dunmore House area - back through
town to Pattandur Agrahara - ECC route - back to Palm Meadows.
Time: 1:04:32
Mileage: 7.2 Miles
Wght: 152
(Link to complete photos on Flickr)
Actually, I have nothing to say about the Cricket World Cup
final, as it has left me strangely untouched, not raising that much
interest in the people I associate with.
-- On the way to Harohalli --
On Saturday, I run to Harohalli in the morning to meet the
children for Vandana's birthday. We have arranged to pick them
up around 10 to bring them to Jayanti's house. While I'm in Roopa's
house, her father arrives from Dodbalapuram, tired and somewhat
sick from the road. We talk nonetheless (in Hindi, which he speaks
somewhat). He asks me about the Taviz that he has noticed around
my neck, perhaps I imagine that they might object to this Moslem
sign.
We pack Neethra and fourteen children in the Innova, take
them to Jayanti's place in ITPL where we celebrate Vandana's birthday.
I've thankfully been able to bring back plush toys from the US, which
just so happens to be the exact right number.
But this little party highlights the changes that have taken me
over. I am distracted from my old friends, unable to be in the moment,
lost in thought, as if something had been broken. I leave promptly
by 2, returning home to wait. Anjan sensing my distress and perhaps
fearing that he's losing a friend, gives me a long quizzical look.
L'orage (Janvaron ki tarah)...
-- Vandanna's birthday at Jayanti's, left to right,
Roopa, Lavannia and Monika --
Sunday morning, I decide to take a shorter run to Nellurahalli.
The effect of my growing addiction to Gutkha is felt through the run,
making my breathing heavy and difficult, generally weak.
My spitting technique however,
after a lot of practice, is exemplary! The heavy heat is subtly tempered
outside by a slight breeze. I'm happy to be out after all. Looking
for signs of last night's historic Cricket victory, I find things rather
quiet, some rare firecracker debris littering the road in places.
I head for the Dunmore house area. On a Sunday the slumdwellers
are all there, so I spend some time with Madevamma, Malikarjun and all.
I ask about the Cricket, but noone seems to care that much (and how
would they have watched it? No TV here obviously...)
-- Madevamma's parents --
I meet Madevamma's parents who have come to settle here from Gulbarga, her
father resting under the shade of a canopy made of leaves. A woman
carrying on her head a suitcase of items and cheap jewelry comes by
(I've seen her here many times). I ask her to buy a Kanghi
("comb", I've just learned the word from Ruksanna), which is available
in her ecclectic supplies. She asks me for 10 Rupees but the slumdwellers
start arguing with her. Eventually, Madevamma buys it for me, among
a collection of other things.
I am stopped through the area many times by my old friends.
Après une nuit sans sommeil,
au petit matin...
-- Madevamma and the bengal seller --
-- Arpudam, Satish, and the TV --
TV in Kadugodi -- 04/07/11
W. Trail - Nellurahalli - Pattandur Agrahara - Prashanth layout -
Dinur - Kadugodi: 0:50:49
Dinur to IPTL: 0:16:19
Time: 1:07:08
Pace: 8'30" / miles
Mileage: 7.9 Miles
(Link to complete photos on Flickr)
I wake up early, feeling again extraordinarily good physically.
I don't want to arrive in Kadugodi too early, so I make some small
detours. It's another beautiful sunny day, and there is just enough
freshness left in the morning air to temper the summer heat.
I still reach Kadugodi extremely thirsty.
Today, a lot of the slumdwellers are outside, and luckily, Sampa
is finally here! It's so good to see her, her usual self, sharp,
vivacious, inventive, funny... Apparently, I have just missed
Deivani, Ubagarimary and the baby who have just left back to
Patalamalevet. Velangani, whom I haven't seen in a long time,
has been left behind. These days, she apparently splits her
time between the two locations. Little Prashanth, in his mother's
arms, is slowly getting reacquainted with me.
Sampa gives me various updates. She tells me about Valli's baby
so I act surprised at the news. I also learn that the other Sampa's
baby, who was so horribly deformed, has finally passed away in
Patalamalevet.
She's very interested in my new camera (which I'm bringing here
for the first time), but says she liked the old one better. I would
give it to her, but laboriously explain that she couldn't charge
it since it's a foreign plug. I end up toying with the idea of
leaving her the camera on occasion and charging it on my side.
A TV and VCR is displayed on a "Whitefield" chariot, in the middle
of the slum. They did movie night last night, for 400 Rs. Ramaka
plays with the remote controls, but of course there is no longer
any electricity. Arpudam gets a stack of CDs, tucked in the tarps
of her tent. Among the various Tamil films, they've strangely
been watching American horror movies!
-- PushpaLata washing, Kadugodi --
I'm extremely thirsty, so Sampa offers me a pot of water. Ruksanna
comes by to salute me. She has been getting her children ready for
school, as usual combing them in front of her tent. She asks me
if I would also apply oil to my hair? She proposes to get tea.
Ramaka for some reason invites me to follow her. She hasn't
gone to the usual tea stall, rather, Ramaka leads me all the way
to the bus station where we find Ruksanna. I'm still carrying
Sampa's tin of water, which for some reason is seen as very
bizzare by the women. I give it back to Sampa as soon as we
return. She laughs.
Ruksanna invites me to sit inside her house, but her husband, his body
lying as if unconscious, is still sleeping in the tent, so I refuse
to enter in spite of her surprising insistance. She first makes
me sit on the doorstep, but even that feels uncomfortable, so I
sit across next to Sampa. Behind us, Valli's old tent has finally
been torn down.
Ramaka catches me lost in thought, with her hands and face she gestures,
"what's the matter, why the sad face"?
Main soch raha tha, I smile back, coming
out of it. I then somehow spill some of my tea during an argument
so Sampa makes good fun of me. She then has to leave to work,
gathering plastic bahut dur, but we agree to meet on
Sunday.
Ramaka asks again about her ration, complains that I've promised
many times but never offered to her. I explain again that I will
no longer provide individual rations, it's either everybody or noone
from now on. I somehow particularly connect with her, in spite
of virtually no common language, her marked face continues to
fascinate me. I guess we're communicating mostly through strong
facial expressions - and a little of Ruksanna's help.
I ask Ramaka about the Tatoo on her arms. Her husband's name,
explains Ruksanna, translating for her. Guzar gaya, I comment
sadly. Velangani also has some temporary letters tatooed on her
arms, but they're English. She's all shy about it though, quickly
hiding. I observe her beautiful necklace. They joke that it was
for marriage, but of thankfully this is not true. It's actually
gold imitation but does look wonderful on her.
Rosie is calling from a distance. I spend a short while at her
house, and she too offers me tea. Her husband has gotten some
cardiac problem for which she shows me the prescriptions, but
I don't quite know what to do with that.
-- Sampa with Prashanth, Ruksanna with Shazia --
I return to Ruksanna. It's time for me to go, and I don't know
if I'll have time to wait for the girls this time to walk them
to school. Her husband has now disappeared from the tent, I haven't
even seen him. Nazia is ready but Shazia, a bit sulky again today,
is taking time. Ruskanna engages Nazia and I to leave first. On
the way out, I'm stopped by Kupamma and Arpudam who point out
that their daughter Kutimma's baby delivery has caused a lot
of hardship, that they would really need their ration. I hold
the same line than with Ramaka though. Ruksanna waves Nazia
and I goodbye as we set off up the road.
The little girl is mumbling as we walk, as if singing or praying.
She tells me she is praying for me to not get late at work. I'm
praying "Iesu", she adds crossing her fingers. - Really,
no Allah? I ask. - I pray Allah too...
We finally see Shazia coming behind us, but she's hobbling
slowly, something bothering her in her right foot. Nazia
is curious about my new camera, takes a few pictures along the way.
I have been carrying her backpack and examine its contents, a tin
plate and bottle of water in one pocket, school books in the other.
As we're approaching the road to Dinur from the trails,
she stops by the house of her friend, calling her up. I leave them
there, unclear if they'll eventually go to school or not, run fast
towards IPTL as it's getting late. On the busy main road, to my
surprise I pass Suresh and two other slumdwellers, walking on the
side. A difficult day ahead -
-- Left to right: Prashanth, Sampa, Shazia, Ruksanna,
Velangani --
-- Deivani, Ubagarimary and baby Vijay --
Baby Vijay in Patalamalevet, game of cards in Kadugodi -- 04/10/11
Saturday:
W. Trail - Dunmore House - Nellurahalli - Pattandur Agrahara -
to ITPL main road: 0:34:00
Back via ECC route: 0:29:52
Time: 1:03:52
Mileage: 7.1 Miles
Sunday:
Main road - Hagadur - Imadhalli - Northern Trail - Chansandra -
Patalama temple.
To Kadugodi, then back through Dinur - Elim / Ecc route.
Time: 1:42:51
Mileage: 11.5 Miles
Wght: 154
(Link to complete photos on Flickr)
In the Palm Meadows club House -
I still have a tenacious headache in the morning, in spite
of a long night of sleep, and a general weakness in the upper body.
Could it be from excessive use of Gutkha in the past few days?
I have promised to spend the morning in Kadugodi though, so
I get ready nonetheless. I am loaded, needing to carry water for
the excessive heat, pictures from a few weeks back, and three deck
of cards that I've brought from France and US, showing pictures
of the monuments (in addition to the usual camera, phone, towel!...)
Two belts and all my pockets will do the trick.
I initially feel weak and sluggish, but wake up into the run.
As usual, the humid heat, which inside the house is difficult to bear,
is tempered outside by a pleasant morning breeze. I gradually regain
interest in the landscape, happy to go through the beautiful fields.
As I'm approaching the Patalamma temple, I hear that I'm being
called by a woman's voice, Uncle, Uncle.... A silhouette,
seated on the side of the road, is gesturing to me, pointing her
hand down, flexing her fingers, Indian style. From a distance,
I think it might be Deivani, but it turns out to be Sampa (Patalamalevet
Sampa, Manni's mother). She invites me to sit next to her sharing
her mat, in the street. The poor woman, looking again emaciated,
stinks of alcohol. She hardly speaks Hindi, but I understand what's
she's trying to tell me nonetheless. Her baby boy, the one that
was awfully deformed and whose state had seemed to precarious, finally
died, two weeks ago. She calls on her husband Murgesh across the street.
After joining us, he asks a woman holding a vending cart right behind
us for an enveloppe, from which he produces some medical papers.
Indeed, even though I don't understand half of it, these are medical
documents for the poor child at the age of three months, measuring
the abnormal size of his head, his state declared marasmic
(severe malnutrition of an infant), and finally
a recommendation for Neurosurgery, which of course never happened.
I have a few photos for Sampa, whose children are wandering
about. This includes two a Saleem, little Sathia's husband, who
apparently has left the area again.
Sampa complains pointing to her leg,
Naï, raises her saree to reveal a nasty dog bite.
The poor woman is clearly not well, and yet I cannot do anything for
her. Our brief conversation seems to have touched her though, she
lets me go satisfied.
A little further down the road, I pay a visit to Deivani and
Ubagarimary. Right across the street, by the Patalamma temple, a
wedding is being performed. We see the small procession for the
newly-weds slowly walk down the road, preceded by musicians.
Deivani and her mother are sitting outside in front of their
tiny shack, with naked baby Vijay, and friend Shamli. They toilet
the baby with powder, carefully apply Tikka and black spots. The
baby looks beautiful, fat and healthy. I have been wearing a new
running shirt, mostly because the collar is high allowing me to
conceal the taviz so as not to invite questions. Deivani
admires the shirt, accha kapra, she says, then proceeds
to roll up my sleeves further, tight, accha hai, she
adds connaisseuse. She then points admiringly at my bracelet,
in spite of my resistance takes it off to try it on. I protest
vehemently, so she returns it quickly.
Of course, she wouldn't be Deivani if she
didn't start asking for stuff, but I adamantly and repeatedly
refuse. She lets it go eventually. In the end, we feel happy
to see each other after all this time.
-- Baby Vijay's toilet --
From there a short run to Kadugodi, which I approach with slight
apprehension as often. What to expect today?
Sampa is in conversation with other slumdwellers. She unfurls
a matte on the ground for me to sit with her, while the children
crowd around us. We have so much to discuss, telling her about
my US trip, her about Valli's new baby. Valli, in difficulty following
the delivery, has asked that I offer her ration. How is that possible,
I ask, she lives far now. Sampa says she'll carry it to her. I explain
my plans of only bringing rations for everyone, no more of this
individual business, which has created so much tension. Kaun Jhagra
Karta Hai, she asks disingenuous.
Ruksanna's children come by, all very well dressed as if for
some occasion. I have brought three souvenir deck of cards with images of
Paris and San Jose (I didn't find San Francisco!). We all look at
the images on the cards, while I explain the various sites, as best
I can. Sampa is particularly intrigued by the glass pyramid of
the Louvre. Is that a hotel, she asks?
Magic finger trick for Nazia. Sampa laughs. I do the trick
a second time for me. Galat! exclaims Sampa laughing even
harder as I've gotten it wrong. Galat, I exclaim in
disbelief, Kaisa ho sakta?, as she continues to make
fun of me. She herself tries some trick of her own, but can't
quite get it to work.
She knows a little bit of a card game, somewhat like rummy
which she calls by another name. She shows me how to build a set.
Then, because the children have been playing with the cards,
we laboriously reconstitute whole.
She has of course noticed the Taviz around my neck.
A friend in Pattandur
has given it to me, I lie, asks her if she herself isn't wearing one.
She rummages through her many necklaces, produces a bigger version
of mine, wrapped in cloth. From this, my health will be protected,
she says repeating the familiar belief.
-- Sampa playing cards --
Ruskanna children have come back. Ruksanna boula rahi hai,
says Sampa, Ruksanna is calling. We're about to distribute the photos
from Kadugodi, so take them to her tent.
From outside, I first only see her husband's feet, in the tent.
We enter. Those are mostly the images we took with Nazia and
Shazia while walking to school in Dinur. Nazia complains that
I haven't printed the picture of the mandir that she took,
with me standing. I promise that I'll look for it.
Knowing the answer, I ask the girls if they passed to the
next class. They answer excitedly that they did.
Sampa needs to go to the shop, but promising that she'll be
back quickly, asks me to wait for her. Jaldi vapas ao, Ruksanna
and I ask her, but she won't come
back in time. Ruksanna immediately serves me a small plate of rice,
than one to her husband, who eats sitting in his corner in front of
us, looking amused at the children playing with me. His face bears
the traces of alcoholism, his legs emaciated. Little Sahid's legs are also
in a dreadful state, purulent spots covered with white talc.
I start a Game of bataille Corse with Nazia and Shazia.
They more or less pick up on the game, although Shazia keeps cheating,
looking for the right card to be able to hit. So rahi hai kya?,
I make fun of her as she forgets to hit the deck. Mukrham laughs
from his corner. The game goes on, and Nazia, all excited, eventually
wins.
Same card trick. This time from the side, others can
see me lifting the card with my other finger. Ruksanna laughs
this time.
She is cradling little Sophia, hung from the ceiling
in a large cloth. The children have adopted me. She feeds
me a bowl or rice, while the children keep bringing me
water, as I'm extremely thirsty in this heat. Her husband
eats also, sitting in his corner in front of us, watching
the card game amused.
Mujhe jana hai, I declare as silence gets hold
of us after the game, but Mukhram asks me to stay for tea.
Kya bana rahi ho?, I ask Ruskanna whose busy with pots
and pans. She hands me over a tin cup of Dahi which she
has mixed with water and salt, then asks me to hand one over
to the small kid sitting next to me. Before drinking, I make
the children meet my cup, cheers!...
Sampa has still not yet returned, so I decide to leave.
The little child who has been sitting with us asks for his own
deck of cards (I do have one left, which I had intended for
Kupamma's family). Kaun hai vo?, I ask; Ruxanna's explains
that this is the son of the fat muslim woman who lives in the
tent right across, Dhoumi, Nazia tells me. I repeat the name
to which everyone bursts out laughing. Ruksanna later tells me
that his is a derogatory name for fat people, like "fatso"!
I give the remaining deck of cards to the boy which creates
the unavoidable commotion as everyone starts fighting for it.
Usko khlena nahi ata, protests Nazia, but her mother
disciplins her that his parents will show him.
She gets up. Main jaoun, tum bhi jao, she tells me
from the door, then reassuring her children, Main vapas
aoungi...
She then disappears through the back side of the slum.
I hurry, but just then SaundraPandiyan appears, carrying
little Vijay, followed by Deivani looking for her sister
Sampa. I tell them she hasn't returned yet from the shop.
Before leaving, I take leave of Ruskanna's husband.
Aapka naam Mukhram hai kya?, I ask. He confirms.
Mera naam Philippe hai, I present myself.
Main jaanta houn, he responds, before waving
me goodbye.
Kal ho naa ho...
Western clothes
Ham bhag jaenge...
Au terme d'une journée d'angoisse...
Premières pluies...
Neend aa rahi hai...
-- Prithy with brother Suraj, Kadugodi --
Ration distribution in Kadugodi (11 Miles) -- 04/17/11
Vartur - Madhuranagar - Koturu - Harohalli: 0:51:21
Harohalli - Timandhalli - Ajgondanhalli - Chansandra -
Patalamalevet - Kadugodi: 0:47:21
Time: 1:38:41
Mileage: 11 Miles
Wght: 155
-- Workers in the field, between Kotur and Harohalli --
(Link to complete photos on Flickr)
I set off early to Harohalli, as I have promised to reach
Kadugodi around 10. As I leave Palm Meadows, I cross an important
group of cyclists who like me heads towards Vartur. In a hurry,
I pass without stopping by Shilpa's place in Madhuranagar, her
house still under construction now has a second floor, but still
all cinder blocks. Near Kotur, I can't help but stop for a group
of women working in the fields, taking their pictures.
I haven't been to Harohalli in some time, abandonning my old
friends so to speak. I've missed them.
During these summer vacations, most of the children have scattered
in nearby villages. I am nevertheless received by Neethra and Tayamma,
Roopa staying in Dodbalapuram with her father. It's difficult to
communicate without the children, yet somehow we manage, with the
help of one of Neetra's brother who knows squibbles of Hindi, and
my scarce Telugu words. Neetra's marriage has been fixed for May
26 and 27, which of course I've promised to attend. She cannot
let me go without feeding me Rice and Sambar, followed by the
obligato Bida (Paan) from grandmother Tayamma. Among the
kids only little Roopa and Vandana are present, to whom I give
the remaining decks of cards I've brought from Europe. Around
9:30, I start running down the trail to Chansandra, propulsing
large Paan red spittles along the way, an "art" that I
now fully master.
-- Shirisha and Vandanna with baby cats -
Grandmother Tayamma preparing "bida" (paan) --
No sight of Deivani near the Patalamma temple, but a little
further down the road, I run into Sampa (from Patalamalevet),
still living in that same miserable tent by the main road, in the back
of a roadside shack. She calls two of her children from across
the street, Manni and Chet. Manni asks for money for the barber
as his hair has grown particularly
long. They want to take photos (which I of
course oblige), but Sampa sends them to the nearby water spout
to wash their faces. We take a few photos in front of their miserable
adobe. In this heat, my face is particulartly drenched in sweat,
like the children, I wash with abundant water at the spigget.
I promise Sampa to return later today with a ration
of food.
-- Manni and Chet washing their faces, Patalamalevet --
I reach the Kadugodi community at about 10:15 as promised.
For once neither Kupamma nor Arpurdam are there to "intercept"
me, so I'm greeted by Sampa and Ruksanna. I sit with Sampa
for a while, against the wall of one of the shacks. They
too laugh at my abundant sweat. Sampa offers me a coconut
to drink, then noticing the lump of Paan inside
my mouth, encourages me to spit it out, Thouk do.
I observe Sampa's beautiful earrings. Kisne tumko dia
hai?. She laughs, admits it came from Vijay Kumar,
Niche, she specifies, only the bottom ones. I refrain
from questionning her further. He no longer comes here, she
adds.
Prashanth and Gaiatree have
taken hold of me. Sampa invites me to eat in RUksanna's house,
but I'm still playing with the children. "Oyuuu", they
explain laughing out loud, as the back of my shirt has become
particularly dirty.
Kuttima, only fourteen as I've learned recently, goes
to the tent to bring back her sleeping baby. She lets me
photograph him, an unusual gesture before the baby's third
month, perhaps because Kupamma
isn't here to keep watch. Her husband (although have they
married yet?) extends a friendly indian gesture towards me,
grabbing my cheek than kissing his hand. He looks more
together as a new father, his wild hair now neatly cut.
-- Kuttima and baby - Shabash and Zoia --
-- Inside Ruksanna's tent, left to right,
Shabash, RUksanna, Shayed --
The children are all eating in Ruksanna's tent. She also
serves me a large plate of rice - too large. I push back half
of it, which offends her. To make matters worse, Sampa arrives,
"Tumne nahi kaha, jhut bol rahe ho!", in spite of my
protest that I'm not hungry. Adding further to it, Phika
hai kya? asks little Nazia (is it bland?), namak
chahie? I fear that I might offend Ruksanna, who, because
of the damages of Gutkha, cannot eat spicy at all, and is
often harshly criticized by her husband for the blandness of her food.
As usual, she offers a portion to other children who also
happen to be there.
Sitting at the door, Velangani asks me to take her picture,
but I ask her to wait as I finish some of the food. She eventually
leaves in anger with a brusque gesture.
Nazia takes the camera to take a few amazing pictures,
in the tent and outside.
Like last time, Nazia Shazia and I start a game of cards,
but we're soon interrupted: Tumhare dost aa chuke hai,
just before Milind pops his head in the tent.
-- Sophia sleeping inside the cradle, photo by Nazia --
-- Nazia, Zoia --
We organize the distribution swiftly, one tent one ration,
helped by Sampa who guides us through the various dwellings.
Things are easier than usual, perhaps due to the absence of
some of the louder members, no argument happens this time,
although we do decide to give Sampa an extra bag for her
sister Valli (who just had her baby in town), and to Kuttima
for Kupamma and Arpudam.
The children have crowded around Nikhil's Jeep.
Velangani begs me for one "round" in the car. I tell her
to ask Nikhil directly, but since he doesn't know Tamil
she would prefer that I act as intermediary (not that I know
much Tamil either!). I play with her, encouraging to speak
up. We eventually fill the car with children and go for a quick
drive around the bus station and back, me trying to hold everyone
safe.
-- In Nikhil's jeep, front left to right,
Velangani, Zoia, Nazia (driving) --
We have kept two rations for Deivani and Patalamalevet Sampa.
I go collect my things from Ruksanna's tent, while she has
left for work.
Back in Patalamalevet, Sampa and Murgesh both start crying,
imploring. I resist their gestures of touching my feet, ask
that they speak in Tamil to Ramesh. They produce the medical
records of their poor dead child, explain to him that they
would like help with the burial, since they have placed the body
somewhere in a field in the Chansandra / Whitefield area. Not
sure what they're asking for, whether they owe money for this
or are they planning to do the burial over again. I somehow
manage to joke with Sampa, bringing back a smile on her face.
Manni walks us over towards the Patalamma temple, again
asking for help for his haircut.
A little further down the street by the Patalamma temple,
we meet Deivani, husband SaundraPandiyan, mother Ubagarimary
and baby Vijay (looking as healthy as ever). We give them
the last remaining ration packet. They tell me through Ramesh
that they plan to leave the area to Tiruvanamalei (Tamil Nadu)
next week, constantly harassed by the neighbours here (with
whom they have kept fighting one day, loving another).
But we're bothered by an old woman who insists on speaking
to me in English, apparently deranged. She asks me for a new
orange Saree, explains that she used to reside by the Sai
Baba Ashram where videshi log used to help her.
Ekdam pagal hai vo tells me Ubagarimary lifting
her eyes.
In the car, Xavier tells me through Ramesh that
the woman must have gone crazy as sometimes foreigners
at the Ashram end up taking advantage of the poor, while
the helpless desperately try to gain from the situation. As a warning,
he earnestly concludes to me, aaj aapne bahut "risk" le lya
in Kadugodi, fearing the constant disputes in the community.
-- Manni with brother Chet, Patalamalevet --
Jati: Patan, Shayed and Sheiks...